I Hate Everything About Britney’s Broken Engagement

I don’t know when I grew so many strong feelings for Britney Spears, but they’re definitely there now. I loved her when I was 10 and her first album came out, and I’ve obviously felt a lot of sympathy for her over these past few years. But it’s never been to the point where I felt the need to talk to every single person I know about how horrible her situation is. If you couldn’t tell, that’s the point that I’m at now.

She’s left her gig as judge on The X Factor, her new puppy Hannah is gravely ill, and on Jan. 11 she announced she and fiancé Jason Trawick, 41, have called it quits after more than three years together.

While Spears, 31, told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement, “I’ll always adore him, and we will remain great friends,” a family source says the signer is “definitely upset about the split.”

What tore the couple apart? Spears, who has two sons with ex-husband Kevin Federline, had hoped to start a family soon with Trawick, but he wasn’t ready. Says the close source: “There were so many issues he wanted worked out before that” – including her neediness. “It was difficult for Jason to have his own life.”

Adds an insider: “Britney is very insecure and has had a lot of trouble with jealousy.” These insecurities may be heightened now. “[She] is very worried about being alone,” says the family source. “She is upset, but for a long time she has treated him like a friend, not a romantic partner.” The family source adds that some close to the singer, who had a breakdown in 2008, “are concerned about her future.”

I hate this so much. Maybe “it was difficult for Jason to have his own life” because he made the choice to be legally responsible for Britney’s life as well. Maybe she was needy because, according to the terms he agreed to, she needed him to do almost anything from spending her own money to making phone calls. Maybe she’s insecure because he’s treated her like a child for the duration of their time together, and that makes a romantic relationship pretty f-cking weird. I don’t know, I’m just speculating here.